The number of staff working under the front office manager. The structure of the front office department depends on the size of the hotel business, the physical size of the hotel, and the hotel management policies.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF FRONT OFFICE PERSONNEL
Front Office Manager-
All administrative tasks
Hiring staff
Training
Giving appraisals
Ensure smooth functioning of the department
Make departments budget
Forecast sales
Monitor reservation systems to maximize occupancy, sales, and revenue
Conduct department meetings
Check arrivals, departures, and review all reports of the FO department.
Assistant Front Office Manager-
Supervise and coordinate day to day activities
Assign duties
Check daily reports, arrival lists, departure lists, VIP arrival, group arrivals
Update FO manager about the happenings
Coordinating with other departments like HK, sales, F&B
Lobby Manager-
To ensure smooth check-in and check-out
Handle guest complaints
Coordinating with travel counter and airlines
Coordinates with the security department and ensure the safety and security of the hotel
Ensure smooth functioning of the lobby
Handle keys
Guest Relation Executive-
Take feedback from guests
Maintain guest feedback forms
Maintain guest comment cards
Handle VIP arrivals
Ensure that guests leave with a positive image of the hotel
Check any complaints and inform the department
Reservation Assistants-
Receive and process reservation inquiry of guests
Maintain the reservation records
Share the information with other departments like sales F&B
To prepare the expected arrival list, departure list for the day
To fill registration cards, guest history card
To give the information to the receptionist
To prepare guest folder having reservation documents, emails and messages
Receptionist-
Greet the guests on arrival
Confirm the identity of guests
Fill the registration form
Assign room
Prepare room status report and check discrepancy with housekeeping
Process request for check out
Inform late checkout, early check out to HK department
Give information about the hotel, facilities and the city to the guest
Cashier-
Prepare guests’ bills
Update guest transactions daily
Exchange foreign currency
Make closing balance account at end of shift
Maintain house bank
Telephone Operator-
Answer the calls directly
Direct incoming calls to the extension number, department, etc
Answer the queries about the hotel and its services
Log all wake-up calls
Handling guest messages
Handling outgoing calls
Handling calls from the rooms/guests
Bell Boys-
Handle guest luggage
Transport the luggage to the room on arrival/guest check-in
Put luggage tag on bags and luggage on arrival
Escort guest to the room and tell them about the room, service directory and function of equipment in the room
Deliver mail, message and package to the rooms
FUNCTIONS OF FRONT OFFICE DEPARTMENT
Directs and coordinates the activities of the FO department.
Ensuring guests’ satisfaction.
Creating guests’ database.
Perform the function of a link between the management and front office employees.
Perform budgeting function.
Planning present and future needs for the resources.
Schedule the tasks of the front office employees.
Resolve guest problems quickly, efficiently, and courteously.
Reviews all the reports generated by all the sections include night auditors report.
Coordinate with the sales and marketing team to ensure maximum sales and profit.
The front office staff handles the transactions between the hotel and its guests.
Creating a great first impression in guests’ minds.
Qualities Of Front Office Staff-
Pleasing personality
Smiling face
Positive attitude
Punctual
Hard-working
Good Personal hygiene
Honest
Good communication skills
Calm, courteous
Salesmanship
Good memory
Duties & Responsibility of Front Office Staff (PDF Provided below)
Personality Traits:
The most common answer to the question “Why did you decide to become a receptionist?” is, because you wanted to meet people.
Now, to be successful in any human relationship you must reflect these characteristics: –
A warm personality, and smart appearances.
A keen interest in people, and polite and courteous nature
Poise under pressure, keeping his cool and problem solver.
A desire to be helpful, but also diplomatic and tactful.
The ability to listen, hard-working, and punctual.
A willingness to reflect management policy should be able to make quick decisions, The ability to get along with co-workers, and a pleasant approach and a good motivator and coordinator.
A desire to be liked, with good public relation qualities.
The ability to help another employee without resenting it or showing imitation. You should be confident, analytical, intelligent and a good salesman.
Neat personal habits.
Good memory (should be able to remember names of regular guests)
Knowledge of languages.
Numerical ability.
Reference point.
Image Builder.
Standing behind the front desk and meeting any of the dozens of problems that arise in a hotel requires a reserve of energy.
Keep your reserve built up by common-sense rules of living:
Get plenty of sleep.
Don’t drink. If you must, be moderate.
Don’t smoke, at least not on the job.
Be positive.
As a Front Office Personnel, you will be the first person who meets the guest in a hotel. The first impression forms a lasting impression. So make sure that the guest gets a positive impression from the moment he walks in.
Some points to remember :
Avoid all controversial questions. You can afford to win arguments, but not in the hotel business.
Be oblivious to guests’ mistakes. Say “I’m sorry, I didn’t make it clear”. Don’t say. “You are wrong” or “You misunderstood me”. Instead say, “Sorry sir, I could not make myself clear.”
Do not criticize competing hotels. This never helps anyone, including yourself.
Cancel all “Yeahs”, “Okays” and “Noes” from your vocabulary, i.e. don’t use slangs.
Speak positively. Every negative reply can be rephrased: “One moment. muse” is a great improvement over “Wait a minute”.
Refer to men guests as gentlemen, females as ladies.
Immediate attention to the traveler is a form of respect to which he is entitled.
Last but not least the sincere smile is and has been a tradition of the hotel business.
FOR MORE INFO: https://www.ihmnotessite.net/fo-organisation